Sivashankar Sanmugam is Bioengineer of the Year 2025
- Behind every sample is a human being. I try to keep that in mind," says the award winner.
After more than three decades at the Department of Medical Biochemistry at Ullevål Hospital, Sivashankar Sanmugam is described as the glue in the on-call team. Year after year, he has contributed with both professional weight and humanity, and he never hesitates to take on extra tasks to ease colleagues' workload. New employees receive a lot of follow-up, and Sanmugam meets them with patience, guidance and a good mood.
A bridge builder in interdisciplinary collaboration
The nominations also highlight how he has built strong relationships with other professions at the hospital over many years. He is known for explaining the importance of the laboratory in the patient pathway in a way that creates understanding, respect and better cooperation.
Sanmugam reflects on the responsibilities that come with the profession:
- Our profession is about life and health. Then you have to be on standby around the clock. When I started here, if someone had a possible heart attack on a Friday afternoon, you had to wait until Monday before you got the results of the tests. Today, we have modern equipment and high-tech that provide answers around the clock. But then we are dependent on someone being at work," he says.
He donates the gift check of NOK 10,000 back to his own department: "I want more bioengineers in the department to contribute more to research and publication. Use the funds to strengthen research work and publish articles in the journal Bioingeniøren, he encourages.
Read also the article in Bioingeniøren: Bioengineer of the Year 2025: Giving away the money prize
An inspiration for the entire subject
The "Biomedical Laboratory Scientist of the Year" award is awarded by the NITO Institute of Biomedical Laboratory Sciences (NITO BFI), and honours biomedical laboratory technicians who are professional role models and ambassadors for the profession. The prize is awarded annually and includes an amount of NOK 10,000.
Kaja Marienborg, Chair of the Board of NITO BFI, highlights Sanmugam as a person who lifts everyone around her:
- He has a shining commitment to his workplace, his colleagues and not least the young graduates. He creates a working environment where people thrive and develop. He is a role model in how good cooperation, professional quality and humanity are connected.
It is an honour to be able to present the title of Biomedical Laboratory Technician of the Year to yet another role model for our profession. He is a very deserved winner of this year's award, Marienborg concludes.
The Academic Board justifies its allocation as follows:
For more than 30 years, Sivashankar has been a unifying, selfless and highly valued bioengineer at the Department of Medical Biochemistry at OUS Ullevål. He is characterized by a sincere concern for his colleagues and an ability to contribute to a working environment where everyone feels seen, included and professionally supported.
With his positive attitude and clear communication about the importance of the shift for quality and patient safety, he has contributed to increased understanding and better collaboration throughout the department. He is also known for his strong interdisciplinary collaboration, and has over many years built solid relationships with both nurses and doctors, as well as contributed to increased understanding of the laboratory's role in patient treatment. With his professional weight, warm presence and strong team spirit, Sivashankar represents the best of the biomedical laboratory sciences.
